Bhanwari Devi case: Court reads out charges against Maderna

Updated: Tuesday, January 29, 2013, 12:54 [IST]

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Jodhpur, Oct 15: A local court on Monday read out the charges against Mahipal Maderna, the former Rajasthan minister who is one of the main accused in Bhanwari Devi abduction and murder case. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Girish Kumar Sharma read out the charges against Maderna, who was present in the court during the hearing. Earlier on Oct 4, court had framed charges against 16 accused including Maderna and Malkhan Singh Bishnoi.

The reading of charges for Maderna and Bishnoi was, however, deferred till today as the two were not present during the hearing. Senior Special Counsel of CBI Ashok Joshi said the case was deferred as the presence of accused is mandatory during framing of charges. While Maderna was out of jail following the death of his mother, Bishnoi is admitted to a hospital in Jaipur for surgery, he said.

"As Maderna appeared today, the court read out charges against him and adjourned proceedings till Oct 30 to read out the charges against Bishnoi, who is still admitted in the hospital," Joshi said. Maderna and Bishnoi were booked under various sections of IPC including section 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 201 (cause the evidences to disappear), 302 (murder), 364 (abduction with in intention of murder) of IPC and SC/ST Act.

As many as 17 people have been made accused into the case, of which two persons -- Paras Ram Bishnoi and Om Prakash Bishnoi -- have been granted bail on account of revised charges by the court. The 17th accused Indra Bishnoi is still absconding and the CBI has already initiated action for auctioning her property.